Changes
by LadyKatie
Summary: All the talk of babies has gotten Wilson thinking about what’s important to him. Wilson’s thoughts have gotten House thinking about all the changes going on around him. House/Wilson friendship, hints of House/Cuddy. Spoilers for season five. One-shot.


**Description: Cuddy's baby has gotten Wilson thinking about what's important to him. Wilson's thoughts have gotten House thinking about all the changes going on around him. House/Wilson friendship, hints of House/Cuddy. Spoilers for season five.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**House M.D.**_** or the characters. They are the property of David Shore, Fox, ect. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.**

Changes  
By LadyKatie

He pulled up on his motorcycle in front of Cuddy's house, surprised to find Wilson standing on the sidewalk looking in. It was almost nine in the evening and he wasn't sure why Wilson would be there. He didn't turn to look at House at all, though he had to have heard the bike. Not everyone rode one around in the middle of New Jersey winter, but it had warmed up a bit and the roads were clear, so House took the chance.

House dismounted his bike and pulled a file out of his backpack. He approached Wilson slowly, wondering what exactly could be wrong. He looked back at the house to see what had his friend so captivated, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

"You stalking Cuddy?" There was no answer. "It's cool if you are, but just so you know, there's a really good view in her bedroom window if you go into the back yard."

Finally Wilson looked at him. "I'm not stalking her. What are you doing here anyway?"

"I need approval to cut a guy open and it can't wait till morning." He held up a file for emphasis. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I came to see how she's doing."

"You're supposed to actually go inside to do that."

"I already did. I'm leaving."

House waited, looking at his friend. After a moment he stated the obvious. "No, you're not."

"I'm going to."

House's eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to make a move on her?"

"No!"

"Yes. It's either that or she's your best friend now, which is weird because I thought I…"

"Lisa and I are friends. I can have other friends besides just you. God knows she needs a friend to lean on right now. She needs someone who can sympathize. Taking care of a baby is a lot of stress and she needs to know that someone is here to help her with that."

"Oh my god." House's jaw hung open in shock of the conclusion he had just come to. "This has nothing to do with Cuddy. It's the baby. You're getting all sappy over the baby."

"You're insane."

"Come on. You're forty, divorced too many times, no serious prospects for wife number four, although that could always change tomorrow, knowing you. And you see everything she's gone through to have a baby and you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous." He started to walk toward his car, but the blush on his cheeks gave away the truth.

"You are." House pointed his cane at him accusingly and followed. "You want a baby."

"What would I do with a baby?"

"Well, nothing actually. That's the problem. No wife, busy career. Cancer kids take up too much time to have your own kids. That's why you're living vicariously through Cuddy. Do you come here every day?"

Wilson turned to House and leaned back on his car. "No. Just a couple times a week. She needs friends. Do you realize she doesn't really have very many friends? She had people she played tennis with or saw at social events, but she doesn't have anyone she's really close to."

"Except you, apparently."

"Exactly. Me, and that's about it. And you."

"That's… pathetic."

Wilson rolled his eyes. "She always put all of herself into her job and didn't have time for much of a social life."

"I figured that out from the internet dating sites and the sperm donor profiles." He thought about it a moment. "She's like you, but hotter. Apparently that means you want a baby too."

"I didn't say I wanted a baby. I just… I always thought that I would have children at some point. But the older I get, the more I realize it's just not going to happen. Cuddy is getting what she wants. I wouldn't know what to do if I got it."

"But that doesn't stop you from thinking about it. You think that this is as close as you'll get."

"I know it is."

House shrugged. "You never know. You could end up married tomorrow with kids."

"I haven't even dated since Amber. And I really don't feel like it."

"So you don't have a kid. It's not the end of the world."

"I just keep thinking about the future. If I don't have a wife or kids, then when I'm old and dying, am I going to be alone? Is that going to be my last regret on my deathbed?"

House shifted uncomfortably. This was not the type of conversation that he did well. He'd had similar thoughts about himself, but he knew that at the very least Wilson would be there to hear his last sarcastic worlds. That much was given. Equally true was the fact that he would be long dead when it came Wilson's time. With his drug use and other risk behavior, he was lucky if he had ten years left. Wilson was younger, healthier and cautious.

"You're not going to be alone. All three of your wives- or more by then- are going to be standing by to make sure they make it into your will."

Wilson tried to smile at the joke, but it wasn't even close to convincing.

"Look, people don't have kids just so there's someone around to bury them. And if they do they're idiots."

"It's not just that. I think I'd be a good dad."

"Maybe."

"And I like kids."

"And your biology has programmed you to reproduce to continue the evolutionary process. I guarantee you the species will survive without your contribution."

"You don't understand."

"You're right; I don't."

"You never wanted kids? Even when you were younger and less cynical?"

"Nope. I knew when I was a kid that I wasn't going to reproduce. And people who don't want kids should never get them. My dad was proof enough of that."

Wilson frowned. "You think you would have been like your dad?"

"I don't know. But I wasn't going to find out."

"I don't want to be like my dad either, if it's any consolation."

House raised a questioning eyebrow. This he found extremely intriguing. He had never thought that there was anything wrong with Wilson's parents, aside from the fact that they seemed a little too happy at times. Although now that he thought about it, there had to be something wrong with them to turn out someone as screwed up as Wilson.

"Your dad seems normal enough."

"So did yours. Mine… He wasn't bad. He just wasn't there really. Not emotionally. He tried, but he just didn't have it in him."

"And yet you're the type of person who is very comfortable with emotion."

"I get it from my mom and my grandparents. Dad just didn't know how to connect to us. And after my brother ran away it was worse. He's social and polite, but he's not really any different with the family than he is with strangers. I wouldn't want to do that with my kids."

House rolled his eyes. "You don't have anything to worry about. Nobody could accuse you of being emotionally distant. You're practically a walking teddy bear."

"I don't have anything to worry about because I'm not going to have kids. It's just not going to happen for me. I have to accept it."

"Play your cards right and Cuddy will invite you to be part of her happy family." Wilson rolled his eyes at him. "I'm serious. She just wants what's best for her little brat. You practically have 'Parent of the Year' stamped on your forehead."

Wilson could see what House was trying to do. He would never admit to being so insecure, but in a roundabout way he was making sure Wilson wasn't actually interested in Cuddy. It was obvious that he believed he couldn't measure up if the two of them were to compete for her. It was best to squash that idea here and now.

"I wouldn't say no to babysitting, but I'm not going to make a move on Cuddy. You should."

"See, I _don't_ have 'Parent of the Year' stamped on my forehead or anywhere else."

Wilson glanced up at the house again. "It wouldn't matter to her."

"But it does to me."

"So you're really never going to pursue anything with Cuddy?"

"You really think your life is incomplete without having a kid?"

Wilson sighed. "Maybe one of these days we'll both get what we want."

He turned and opened his car door.

"Good night, Wilson."

"Good night, House. Oh and be quiet when you go in there. She just got Rachel to sleep." As soon as he realized what he had said he blushed deep red and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"I can put in a good word for you with Cuddy. I'm sure she'll let you watch the kid for the next board meeting."

Wilson waived him off, obviously embarrassed by the entire situation.

"Good night, House."

House made his way toward Cuddy's home, pausing to watch his friend drive away. He frowned. Everything had changed. It was like… being a grown up. His relationship with Wilson had survived wives, girlfriends and personal medical emergencies. They weren't kids and yet there was always a somewhat childish undertone to everything they did. But babies changed everything. You couldn't be a kid when there were actual kids involved. And Cuddy had already demonstrated that although she wasn't above childish games, she wasn't going to tolerate anyone coming between her and her baby.

And now Wilson was jumping on the bandwagon. Wilson was probably right and he would never have a kid of his own. But if he did House knew it wouldn't be long before him and Cuddy were arranging play dates and swapping dirty diaper stories. So how was he supposed to keep things as normal as possible without threatening either Cuddy's motherly instincts or Wilson's dreams of fatherhood? How was he going to keep a balance with them both so that they couldn't conveniently push him aside?

He limped slowly up the walk toward Cuddy's door and caught sight of her inside. She looked tired. Obviously the baby was still asleep and she was picking up dirty bottles and toys. She stopped suddenly with an armful of stuffed animals and pushed the hair out of her face with a free hand.

A very small smile graced House's otherwise gruff face as he remembered the last time he stood outside her window like this. That time he hadn't gone in. Maybe he should have. This time he would have to. Not just because of the file he was still holding, but because this time he knew that some changes were worth making. And just maybe he wouldn't mind being part of this insanity.

He took a deep breath. He never had liked change much. But a moment later he rang the bell.


End file.
